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| National symbols of Japan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Japan |
| Symbol type | National symbols |
| Established | Various |
National symbols of Japan
Japan's national symbols encompass a range of iconography associated with the Yamato state, the Imperial House of Japan, and modern Nippon identity, drawing on traditions from the Asuka period, Nara period, and Heian period through to the Meiji Restoration, Taisho and Showa eras and into the Reiwa era. These symbols appear in contexts including the Chrysanthemum Throne, the National Diet (Japan), diplomatic missions like the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., and cultural institutions such as the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Nature and Science. They intersect with national rites tied to the Kuroda clan, imperial ceremonies at Kashihara Shrine, and international events like the 1964 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Japan’s symbols reflect continuity from the Jomon period through the Yamato polity to the modern state shaped by the Treaty of Kanagawa, the Meiji Constitution, and the postwar Constitution of Japan. Key motifs derive from the Imperial Regalia of Japan, court practice recorded in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, and from cultural movements exemplified by figures like Murasaki Shikibu, Sei Shonagon, and Matsuo Basho. Symbols are institutionalized by bodies such as the Cabinet Office (Japan), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan), and the Japan Self-Defense Forces, while civic uses reference events like the Great Kanto earthquake and anniversaries of the Battle of Sekigahara.
The national flag, the Hinomaru, is officially the flag of Japan and was reaffirmed during the Act on National Flag and Anthem (1999). The Rising Sun Flag historically used by the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy contrasts with the Chrysanthemum Seal, the emblem of the Emperor of Japan and the Imperial Household Agency. Municipal symbols include the emblems of Tokyo Metropolis, Osaka Prefecture, and Hokkaido Prefecture, while foreign representations use flags at the United Nations and the G7 Summit. Other heraldic devices appear in associations like the Japan Football Association and the Japan Olympic Committee.
The national anthem, "Kimigayo", draws lyrics from the Kokin Wakashu anthology and was codified under the Act on National Flag and Anthem (1999). Patriotic music traditions include works performed at the NHK Symphony Orchestra, ceremonies at the Imperial Palace (Tokyo), and broadcasts by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). School ceremonies historically featured songs like "Aogeba Tôtoshi", while wartime music connected to the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War influenced public repertoire. Contemporary national ceremonies incorporate performances by artists associated with NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen and ensembles linked to the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Floral emblems include the Chrysanthemum, the symbol of the Chrysanthemum Throne and the Imperial Seal of Japan, and the Sakura (cherry blossom) celebrated in festivals like Hanami and referenced by poets such as Yosa Buson and Kobayashi Issa. The Paulownia crest features in the Prime Minister of Japan emblem and in the Government Seal of Japan. National fauna symbols include the Koi carp in gardens like Kenroku-en, the Japanese crane (red-crowned crane) protected in regions like Tsurui and depicted in works by Hiroshige and Hokusai, and the Japanese macaque appearing in myth and at sanctuaries such as Jigokudani Monkey Park.
Cultural icons span the samurai traditions of the Tokugawa shogunate and figures like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu to literary and theatrical forms such as Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku. Visual arts are represented by ukiyo-e masters Utagawa Hiroshige, Katsushika Hokusai, and the Rimpa school; crafts include kimono textiles associated with Kyoto and ceramics from Arita, Seto, and Shigaraki. Religious and philosophical markers include Shinto shrines like Ise Grand Shrine and Itsukushima Shrine, Buddhist temples such as Kinkaku-ji and Senso-ji, and figures like Prince Shotoku and Saicho.
Official insignia include the Imperial Seal of Japan and the Government Seal of Japan (Go-shichi no kiri), used by the Prime Minister of Japan, the Cabinet Secretariat (Japan), and ministries like the Ministry of Finance (Japan), Ministry of Justice (Japan), and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan). The National Diet (Japan) uses its own chamber symbols, while judicial emblems appear with the Supreme Court of Japan. Diplomatic symbols are used by missions such as the Embassy of Japan in London and the Consulate-General of Japan in New York.
Modern popular symbols include the Mount Fuji iconography used in tourism campaigns by Japan National Tourism Organization, the shinkansen bullet train network symbolized by companies like East Japan Railway Company and Central Japan Railway Company, and popular culture exports such as anime, manga, Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki, Akira (manga), Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Pokémon. Sporting symbols include the Japan national football team and athletes like Naomi Osaka and Hideo Nomo, while culinary icons feature sushi, ramen, washoku recognized by UNESCO, and beverages tied to brands like Suntory and Asahi Breweries. Contemporary festivals and events include Gion Matsuri, Tanabata, Sapporo Snow Festival, and international showcases such as the Expo 70 and the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Category:Symbols of Japan